In recent years Apple has emerged as one of the most well-known consumer electronics companies on the planet, thanks in large part to its iconic Apple Stores. Now it appears that Samsung is looking to emulate that success in the U.S. by launching of its own chain of mini-stores in partnership with Best Buy.

The first hints that a Samsung retail partnership with Best Buy might be in the offing came last month via Geek.com, but the company didn't confirm its new plans until this week. The stores will not be standalone stores but rather mini-stores located within 1,400 Best Buy stores around the country.

Within the Samsung areas, the company will have employees dedicated to demonstrating the products and assisting with any consumer questions, along with specially trained Best Buy employees. According to a report from AllThingsD, Samsung tested the stores last month in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Dallas. Each store will offer the company's full array of mobile products including phones, tablets, laptops, and cameras, as well as software and some hardware support.

"Samsung has been delivering the latest innovation across the consumer electronics category for some time," Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Telecommunications America, said in a statement. "With the Samsung Experience Shops, we are ensuring consumers get the most of that innovation by learning how to leverage their mobile devices across our ecosystem of consumer electronics. Consumers will have one place to not only explore and learn about our full portfolio of mobile products, but also the support of a Samsung expert to help with selecting and servicing them. This will truly be a unique mobile shopping experience."

While this new initiative represents an aggressive new phase of Samsung's competitive strategy, frequent Best Buy visitors will note that the electronics chain has previously given Apple the same kind of store-within-a-store boutique treatment. This also isn't the first time Samsung has tried its hand at mini-stores in the U.S. But rather than settling for pop-up shops, this deal will allow the company to take a real run at establishing a permanent retail experience across the nation as it ramps up competition with Apple for dominance in the mobile space.

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